Mosquito
anatomy
The mosquito's body, like any other insect, is divided into 3 parts:
head,
thorax and
abdomen.They have 6 legs,
1 pair of antennae,
1 pair of maxillary palps and
2 compound eyes.
Although Mosquitoes
have relatively small
wings they have scales
on them to reduce
friction and help them
fly.
Both male and female mosquitoes have a proboscis which is a feeding tube, but only the female feeds on blood ( nectar if she's hungry). Males feed only on nectar.
antennaesharp, thin, tube that sucks blood*3labrum (upper lip)*7tube that injects saliva with anesthetic to escape notice and keeps blood flowing with an anticoagulant *4
maxillae (serrated teeth, knife like tools, "cutters", sharp tipped, and it surrounds a pair of fine tubes)*5, *6labium (lower lip)*8
The most important part of the female is her proboscis.
The proboscis is a serrated elongated mouth part, protected by her scaly lower lip which stretches to cover it.
The lower lip is called the labium. The upper lip is called the labrum.The labium ends in 2 hairy lobes called the labella.
The proboscis is made up of 6 parts, 2 pairs of flexible cutters surrounding a pair of very thin tubes;
one very sharp one that pierces the skin and sucks blood, the other injects saliva.
It takes the female about 50 seconds to insert her proboscis into the skin. It is serrated to decrease nerve stimulation. She feeds for about 2 and half minutes.
When she has pierced the skin she injects a small amount of saliva which contains a chemical which stops the blood clotting (anticoagulant). It is the foreign proteins in the saliva that make us itch.
The proboscis is a serrated elongated mouth part, protected by her scaly lower lip which stretches to cover it.
The lower lip is called the labium. The upper lip is called the labrum.The labium ends in 2 hairy lobes called the labella.
The proboscis is made up of 6 parts, 2 pairs of flexible cutters surrounding a pair of very thin tubes;
one very sharp one that pierces the skin and sucks blood, the other injects saliva.
It takes the female about 50 seconds to insert her proboscis into the skin. It is serrated to decrease nerve stimulation. She feeds for about 2 and half minutes.
When she has pierced the skin she injects a small amount of saliva which contains a chemical which stops the blood clotting (anticoagulant). It is the foreign proteins in the saliva that make us itch.
Species: there are about 2600 different kinds of mosquitoes
Genus: there are 18 mosquito genera: the main ones are Aedes, Anopheles and Culex
Family: Culicidae
Order: Diptera
Class: Insectia
Phylum: arthropoda
Kingdom: Anamalia
Genus: there are 18 mosquito genera: the main ones are Aedes, Anopheles and Culex
Family: Culicidae
Order: Diptera
Class: Insectia
Phylum: arthropoda
Kingdom: Anamalia
Proboscis
"Sensilla on the maxillary palps of females contain an olfactory receptor neuron which produces a phasic-tonic pattern of action potential responce to low concentration (150-300 ppm) of carbon dioxide a stimulus known to be involoved with host-seeking benavior. These receptor neurons respond reliably to small increments in carbon dioxide concentration (50 ppm) likely to occur in nature." (Robert OConnell, Ph.D.)maxillary palp
Picture drawn by Tiffany
Color and technique by Tejas
Color and technique by Tejas
Writing by Victoria
Reference: Please see credits
How do you know if a mosquito is strong?
If you slap him, you get hurt.
If you slap him, you get hurt.
